USPTO Patents Application 09608066

WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION

Intemational Bureau

Document A04
Appl. No. 09/608,066

PCX

INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT CX)OPERATION TREATY (PCT)

(51) International Patent Classification ^ :

Al

(11) International Publication Number:

WO 98/09451

H04Q 7/22

(43) International Publication Date:

5 March 1998 (05.03.98)

(21) International Application Number: PCT/FI97/00490

(22) International Filing Date: 26 August 1997 (26.08.97)

(30) Priority Data:

963375

29 August 1996 (29.08.96)

FI

(71) Applicant {for ail designated States except US): NOKIA

MOBILE PHONES LTD. [Fl/n]; Kcilalahdcntie 4, FIN-
02 1 50 Espoo (Fl).

(72) Inventors; and

(75) Inventors/Applicants (for US only): HEINONEN, Pekka
[Fl/FIl; Hakakuja 2 B 28. nN-02100 Espoo (Fl). OKKO-
NEN. Harri [FI/FI]; Salonkitic 5 as 3, FIN-02940 Espoo
(Fl). TUOMI, Ilkka [Fl/FI]; Arkadiankalu 20 A 19,
FIN-00100 Helsinki (FI).

(74) Agent: JOHANSSON, Folkc; Nokia Mobile Phones Ltd., P.O.
Box 100, FIN-00045 Nokia Group (FI).

(81) Designated States: AL, AM. AT, AU» A2, BA, BB. BG, BR,
BY, CA. CH, CN. CU, CZ. DE, DK. EE, ES, Fl, GB, GE.
GH, HU, IL, IS, JP. KE, KG, KP. KR, KZ, LC, LK, LR,
LS. LT» LU. LV, MD, MG, MK, MN. MW, MX, NO, NZ.
PL. PT, RO, RU, SD, SE, SG, SI, SK. SL. TJ. TM, TR.
TT. UA. UG, US. UZ. VN, YU, ZW. ARIPO patent (GH.
KE, LS. MW, SD, SZ. UG, ZW), Eurasian patent (AM, AZ,
BY, KG, KZ. MD. RU, TJ. TM), European patent (AT. BE,
CH, DE. DK, ES, Fl. FR. GB. GR. IE, IT, LU. MC, NL,
PT, SE), OAPI patent (BF, BJ, CF. CG. CI. CM. GA, GN.
ML. MR. NE. SN, TD. TG).

Published

With international search report.

Before the expiration of the time limit for amending the
claims and to be republished in the event of the receipt of
amendments.

In English translation (filed in Finnish).

(54) Title: AN OPINION POLL UTILIZING A WIRELESS DATA TRANSMISSION CONNECTION

6

MBCANDVLtt

DURING TIMING

■^C AND VII
DURING TIMING

I

4 3

8MSGVV| — ^SMSC |

thl — I HLR I ;

BTS 1

BSC|

-AiBTS 1

BSC [

SMSGWj HLR

BTS

62

61

51

JKSC
RECEPTION

(57) Abstract

The scope of the present invention is a method and a system for sending messages and for the processing of the received answers
to the messages sent. In order to that it would be possible to make for example a quick and local opinion poll, a message (A) is fed from
a communicator's (I) data processing system (2) over a service center (3) utilizing a wireless telecommunication connection essentially
simultaneously to at least two recipients in the telecommunication devices (7) of the recipients, the recipients enter the answer to the
message (A) with their telecommunication devices (7) over the service center (3) utilizing a wireless telecommunication connection back
to the communicator's (1) data processing system (2) which waits for the answers for a certain, predetermined tinw. and the information
contained in the answers is processed in a prcdetennined way in the communicator's (I) data processing system (2).

FOR THE PURPOSES OF INFORMATiON ONLY

Codes used to identify States party to the PCX on the front pages of pamphlets publishing international applications under the PCT.

AL

Albania

ES

Spain

LS

Lesotho

SI

Slovenia

AM

Annenia

FI

Finland

LT

Lithuania

SK

Slovakia

AT

Austria

FR

France

LU

Luxembourg

SN

Senegal

AU

Australia

GA

Gabon

LV

Latvia

sz

Swaziland

AZ

Azerbaijui

GB

United Kingdom

MC

Monaco

TD

Chad

BA

Bosnia and Herzegovina

GE

Georgia

MD

Rqniblic of Moldova

TC

Togo

BB

Barbados

GH

Ghana

MG

Madagascar

TJ

Tajikistan

BE

Belgium

GN

Guinea

MK

The fomer Yugoslav

TM

Turk men iilan

BF

Burkina Faso

GR

Greece

Republic of Macedonia

TR

•nirkey

BG

Bulgaria

HU

Hungary

ML

Mali

TT

Trinklad and Tobago

BJ

Benin

IE

Ireland

MN

Mongolia

UA

Ukraine

BR

Brazil

IL

Isnel

MR

Mauritania

UG

Uganda

BY

Belarus

IS

Iceland

MW

Malawi

US

United States of America

CA

Canada

IT

Ualy

MX

Mexico

uz

Uzbekistan

CF

Central African Republic

JP

laptn

NE

Niger

VN

Viet Nam

CG

Congo

KE

Kenya

NL

Netherlands

YU

Yugoslavia

CH

Switicrland

KG

Kyrgyzstan

NO

Norway

ZW

Zimbabwe

CI

Cfile d*l voire

KP

Democratic People's

NZ

New Zealand

CM

Cameroon

Republic of Korea

PL

Poland

CN

China

KR

Republic of Korea

PT

Portugal

cu

Cuba

KZ

Kazakattn

RO

Romania

cz

Czech Republic

LC

Saim Lucia

RU

Rusiian Federation

DE

Germany

U

Uechtenstein

SD

Sudan

DK

Denmark.

LK

Sri Lanka

SE

Sweden

BE

Bitonia

LR

Uberta

SG

otngapoce

PCT/FI97/00490

WO 98/09451

10

20

AN OPINION POLL UTILIZING A WIRELESS DATA TRANSMISSION CONNECTION

The present invention relates to a method for transmitting messages and the
processing of received answers to the transmitted messages. A further object of
the invention is a system for transmitting messages and the processing of
received answers to the transmitted messages, which system comprises a
communicator's (message sender's) data processing system comprising means
for selecting a target group, for transmitting a message and for receiving answers,
a service center comprising means for transferring the message and the answer,
and a telecommunication device for receiving messages.

The invention relates in particular to making small-size opinion polls , but it is
possible to utilize the method according to the invention also in other two-way
communication. In the following the invention is thogh explained in an exemplary
15 way in particular in connection with making opinion polls.

Opinion polls have traditionally been made by mailing a questionary to the
answering party, by making personal on-site interviews, by making personal
inten/iews by telephone and by requesting in television and/or radio broadcasts
the interviewees to call certain telephone numbers, in which case the opinion is
expressed by dialing a telephone number corresponding to the opinion or by
entering DTMF -signals, i.e. by pushing the telephone keys based upon a voice or
a vocal message heard from the called-up telephone number. In publication WO
88 05 239 "Improved polling system" it is explained a system operating in the
25 fixed telephone network, in which system by utilizing programmable units and a
voice messages a data system is made to call the interviewees, yNho answer the
questions using their telephone devices according to the instructions of the voice
message.

.10

A letter poll can be directed to a certain area, in which case the persons selected
to be interviewed are selected based upon their area of residence. A letter poll
cannot be directed to persons who were in a certain area at a certain moment.

wo 98/09451

PCT/FI97/00490

The problem of a letter poll is also its slowness. The preparing of the material,
mailing and the passage of mail itself to both directions all consume their own
time. The slowness is increased by the fact that the transfer of the answer
information to the enquirer's data processing system for analyzing involves a

5 delay. Another disadvantage is also that a letter poll is delivered to an

interviewee's address or to an address into which the interviewee has redirected
his/her mail, independent of where the interviewee is at the moment. A further
problem of a letter poll from a recipient's point of view is that if he/she does not
check his/her mail during the answering period, an outdated enquiry cannot be

10 removed from his/her mail. Answering a letter poll further requires that the
interviewee takes his/her answer to a letter box.

Personal on-site interviews can be directed to a certain area. Additionally, they
can be directed to persons being in this area during a certain period. The period

15 must however be rather long. Normally there are so many persons in an area that
only a small part of them is reached. Interviewees selected based upon their
place of residence are only reached when at home, in which case an interviewer
may have to make several visits. The problem is. independent of the selecting
criterion, that the coverage of a poll is highly dependent on the number of persons

20 present on the site. A further problem is that the interviewees cannot be reached
simultaneously. From an interviewee's point of view the disadvantage is that
he/she should have time to answer the questions just at the time of an interview.
Also slowness is a problem of an on-site interview. The preparing of material,
printing, an eventual selecting of the interviewers and the interviewers' moving to

25 the site of interview, the interview itself, delivering the answers to the subscriber
of the poll and transferring the answer infomiation into the enquirer's data
processing systems consume time. In addition to above, the problem of an on-
site personal interview is that an interviewer may unconsciously, or even
consciously, influence the answers given by the interviewee with his/her body

30 language and/or by presenting the question using his/her own words.

wo 98/09451

PCT/FI97/00490

Telephone interviews can be directed to a certain area. In this case the persons
selected to be interviewed are selected based upon their place of residence. In
prior known methods enquiries cannot be directed to persons who were in a
certain place at a certain moment. Even the telephone interview method utilizing

5 a voice message and several telephone lines simultaneously, which was

presented in publication WO 88 05 239, has shortcomings. If there is no answer
in a telephone number or it is busy, it must be called again, possibly even a
number of times during the interview period. In addition to that the number of
telephone lines connected to a "polling center" limits the number of interviewees

10 who can be reached simultaneously. Because in the method the answering is
done using the dialing equipment of a telephone, the questions are limited to
multiple-choice questions only. From the point of view of an interviewee who has
answered the phone, the problem of the method is that he/she should have just at
the moment of enquiry time to answer the questions.

15

An opinion poll, in which answers are requested over a television and/or radio
broadcast to call certain telephone numbers or to express their opinions in
another way. has the problem of limiting the target group and the geographical
focusing of a poll. It is possible to try to limit the target group through selecting
20 the media and the broadcasting time, but it is not possible to select the target
group demographically. The problem in geographic focusing is that even the
smallest area to which a poll can be focused, is geographically a quite large one
(e.g. the coverage of a local radio broadcast).

25 The problem of all above presented methods is that they are very poorty suited for
making a small poll with at most a few questions.

The object of this invention is to solve the above problems and to provide a quick
method, which reaches one target group at one time and offers versatile
30 geographic focusing possibilities and normal other selecting criterion and which is
well suited for even small opinion polls. This goal is achieved with the method
according to the invention, which method is characterized in that a message is

wo 98/09451 PCT/FI97/00490

4

entered from a communicator's data system through a service center utilizing
wireless data transmission connection essentially simultaneously to at least two
recipients to the recipients' telecommunication devices, the interviewees use their
telecommunication devices to feed the answer to the message through the
5 service center utilizing wireless data transmission back to the communicator's
data system, which expects the answers for a certain, predetermined time, and
the information contained in each answer is processed in a predetermined way in
the communicator's data system.

lu The concept essentially simultaneously means in this context that small

differences may occur in the time of transmitting a message, which differences
are due to delays connected with data processing and data transfer caused by
the executing equipment and/or software for example because of eventually
required database searches.

15

A further object of the invention is a system in which the method according to the
invention can be utilized. A system according to the invention is characterized in
that a communicator's data system comprises means for feeding a message to a
service center, and means for receiving each answer to the message from the

20 service center and means for analyzing the information in an answer in the

communicator's data system, the service center comprises means for receiving a
message from a communicator's data system and means for transferring the
message over a wireless data transfer system essentially simultaneously to the
telecommunication devices of at least two recipients and means for receiving the

25 answers of the recipients and for transferring them further to the communicator's
data system, and

the telecommunication device comprises means for receiving a
message, a user interface for presenting the information contained in a message
to the recipient, and means for transmitting the answer entered by the recipient

30 using the user interface over the wireless data transfer connection, utilizing the
service center, to the communicator's data system.

wo 98/09451

PCT/FI97W0490

The concept message means in this context any message containing at least one
question, which a recipient is desired to answer. A message can thus be an
opinion poll with one or several questions or some other opinion enquiry, an
official communication containing a question or an advertisement containing a

5 question.

The concept communicator means in this context a sender of a
message who makes the inquiries for himself or as a research assignment.

The concept service center means in this context a center belonging
to a telecommunication network, which center is capable of attending to the
10 transmitting of messages to right recipients in a format suitable for the latter and
of transferring the answers to the communicator in a correct fomiat. Such a
service center can be e.g. the short message service center of a GSM -mobile

communication network.

The concept telecommunication device means in this context any

1 5 device suited for wireless communication, with the help of which a recipient can
both receive a message and send an answer to the message. Such a
telecommunication device can be for example any radio transmitter, such as e.g.
a mobile telephone operating over base stations or eventually over a satellite or
e.g. a two-way -pager or e.g. a device of PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) -type.

2(> The concept user interface means in this context those parts of a

telecommunication device or a part or sub-unit connected to a telecommunication
device, by using which the communication is executed. Such a user interface is
e.g. the entity formed by the display and keypad of a mobile telephone.

25 The invention is based upon the concept that polls can be made quickly thanks to
the wireless telecommunication, effectively and using little manpower by focusing
a poll according to the present selecting criterion (e.g. area of residence,
demographic factors) or based upon the location of a telecommunication device
at a given moment (e.g. a superstore). The invention is very well suited for small-

30 form polls including a few questions. The most significant advantages of the
solution according to the invention are thus the simultaneous distribution of the
message to an unlimited amount of recipients, the reaching of the recipients

wo 98/09451

PCT/ri97/00490

based upon their location at the moment of reception, and that the message can
be answered when it is best suited for the recipient and the answer can be sent
from the recipients present location, and that it is possible to select persons who
have been in a certain area at a given moment as a target group, and that said
5 area can be limited to be very small by utilizing the cellular structure of the
telecommunication system, and that a message can be provided with a time
stamp, in which case an outdated message is automatically removed, and that the
invention offers the possibility of crediting an interviewee's account with an
answering fee.

10

In a preferable embodiment of the invention the GSM -mobile telephone system is
used as the wireless telecommunication system. This embodiment according to
the invention is very advantageous, because its short messages can be delivered
even if a telecommunication device is busy. In addition to it. its short message
15 service center takes care of delivering a message during the validity of the

message, if a recipient's telecommunication device, i.e. a mobile telephone of the
GSM -system, has not been in connection with the mobile telephone network at
the moment a message was transmitted.

20 The preferable embodiments of the method and system according to

the invention are presented in enclosed unindependent claims 2 - 5 and 7-10.

The invention is desaibed in more detail in the following with
reference to enclosed figures, of which
25 Figure 1 presents the transmitting of a message to recipients who were in a

certain area at a certain moment,
and

Figure 2 presents the delivering of an answer to a communicator.

30 Figure 1 presents a block diagram connected with the transmitting of a message
in a first preferable embodiment of the system according to the invention, in which
embodiment it is as an example assumed the wireless telecommunication system

wo 98/09451

PCT/FI97A)a490

to be the GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications) -system, the service
center to be the short message service center SMSC (Short Message Service
Center) of the GSM -system, the telecommunication device to be a mobile station
MS (Mobile Subscriber) of the GSM -system and the target group selected to be

5 the persons staying in a certain area at the so called timing moment. In
connection with the short message service center it has been used the term
SMSGW (Short Message Service Gateway), which is the common term for SMS-
GMSC (Gateway Mobile Switching Center for Short Message Services) ar>d
IWMSC (Interworking Gateway Mobile Switching Center for Short Message

10 Services). The invention is explained in the following as an example assuming
that the length of a message to be transmitted is between 94 and 160 characters,
in which case it can, according to the present GSM -specifications, be transmitted
as a normal short message SM (Short Message) of the mobile communication
system, but it cannot be transmitted using the general short message

15 broadcasting service because of the length of the message. The GSM -system
and its short message service have been explained in more detail for example in
publication 'The GSM -system for Mobile Communications", M. Mouly. M. B.
Pautet, Plaseau, France, 1992 ISBN:2-9507 190-0-7, and thus it is not described
in more detail in this context.

20

When communicator 1 has prepared message A, selected using his data system
target area 8 and a timing, i.e. the moment when persons in area 8 with their
mobile telephones are of interest, and possibly the moment for transmitting the
message, if it deviates from the timing, the last time of validity for the message,

25 the last reception time of the answers and possibly the bonus to be granted, the
data system of the communicator sends, based upon the command of the
communicator, the above information, as a common term for which it is used in
the following the term assignment, to short message service center 3. The
sending can take place over any network, for example such as the digital

30 multiservice network ISDN (Integrated services digital network), the public, fixed
telephone network PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) or PLMN (Public
Land Mobile Network). Short message service center 3 decodes the received

wo 98/09451 PCT/FI97/00490

8

message into parts and enquires using short message service gateway 4, utilizing
mobile switching center MSG (Mobile Switching Center ) and visitor register VLR
(Visitor Location Register) 5 and base area subsystem BSS (Base Station
Subsystem) 6, from home register HLR (Home Location Register) 9 the required

5 subscriber data of mobile stations 7A and 78 in target area 8. The subscriber
data of each mobile station 7A and 7B in target area 8 is transferred from the own
home register 9 of each one, using the assistance of the mobile switching center
of the timing moment and visitor register 5 and short message service gateway 4,
to short message service center 3, which at the desired moment of enquiry, which

10 in the following is called reception moment, transmits message A, which is a short
message, which it has extracted from the assignment, to mobile telephone 7
asking for the routing instructions to mobile telephone 7 from home register 9 of
the mobile telephone using reception moment mobile switching center 51 , base
station controller BSC (Base Station Controller) 61 and base station BTS (Base

15 Transceiver Station) 62. If mobile telephone 7 is switched off or in a shade area,
short message service center 3 buffers message A to mobile telephone 7, and
transmits message A when mobile telephone 7 again is in connection with the
network, if the message still is valid. Target area 8 can consist of one cell, a
combination of several cells, a location area or location areas. It is also possible

20 to define the cell of a movable base station as a target area. Depending on the
movements of the mobile telephone the mobile switching center, the visitor
register and/or the location cell of the mobile telephone may remain the same or
change between the timing moment and the reception moment. In any case the
system takes care of the message being delivered to the recipient based upon the

25 actual location of the recipient.

Figure 2 presents a block diagram connected with answering to a message in the
first preferable embodiment of the system according to the invention, which has
been explained earlier. In Figure 2 a recipient has received message A and read
30 it in display 1 0 of his/her mobile station 7. At a time suitable for him/her he/she
answers the question/questions using display 1 0 and keypad 1 1 and transmits
his/her answer A' as a short message over base station 62' corresponding his/her

wo 98/09451 PCT/FI97/00490

present location, i.e. the location at the answering moment, base station controller
61\ and mobile switching center 51', assisted by short message service gateway
4, to short message service center 3. Short message service center 3 checks
whether the answering time of communicator 1 still is valid and if it is, it sends

5 answer A* to the communicator's data system 2 for further processing. If the
answering time has expired, short message service center 3 throws the answer to
a "dustbin". Short message service center 3 credits the interviewee's account 12
according to the instructions of communicator 1 . The instructions are received by
short message service center 3 either together with the assignment from a data

10 processing system or afterwards from the communicator, when the

communicator's data system has analyzed answer A* and verified it to be worth a
reward. Data system 2 of communicator 1 processes the answers by analyzing
them in a way desired by the communicator. The analyzing may include creating
statistics and/or other prior known methods of analyzing opinion polls.

15

It is self evident for a person skilled in the art how the communication in Figure 1
takes place in the GSM -system using the general distribution of a short message
service center, and how it takes place when the selecting of a target group is
made based upon something else than the location at a given time. It is also self
20 evident for a person skilled in the art how the communication explained atx)ve in
Figures 1 and 2 is arranged using other wireless data transfer systems and/or
service centers. It is further self evident for a person skilled in the art that the
invention in no way limits the length of a message.

25 I has to be understood that the above explanation and the figures connected with
it have only been meant to illustrate the present invention. To a person skilled in
the art the different variations and modifications of the invention will be evident
without deviating from the scope and spirit of the invention presented in enclosed
claims.

30

wo 98/09451

10

PCT/FI97/00490

Claims

1 . A method for sending messages and for the processing of the received
answers to the messages sent, characterized in that

5 a message (A) is entered from the data processing system (2)

of a communicator (1) over a service center (3) utilizing a wireless data
transmission connection essentially simultaneously to at least two
recipients to the recipients' telecommunication devices (7),

the recipients enter an answer (A') to the message (A) using

10 their telecommunication devices (7) over the service center (3) utilizing

the wireless data transmission connection back to the communicator's (1 )
data processing system (2), which waits for the answers (A) for a certain,
predetermined time, and

the information contained in each answer (A') is processed in a

15 predetermined way in the communicator's (1 ) data processing system (2).

2. A method according to claim 1 , characterized in that the wireless data
transfer connection utilizes a mobile communication system.

20 3. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that the service center

(3) is a short message service center of a mobile communication system.

4. A method according to claim 1 . 2 or 3, characterized in that the recipients
(7A, 7B) are selected based upon their location (8) at a given time, which
25 location (8) is determined utilizing the cellular structure of the system

used in the wireless data transmission connection with the accuracy of at
least one cell.

wo 98/09451

Jl

PCT/FI97/0()490

5. A method according to claim 1 . in which the communicator (1 ) sends
messages connected with an opinion poll, characterized in that the
information contained in said answers (A') is statistically analyzed in the
communicator's (1) data processing system (2).

6. A system for transmitting messages (A') and for the processing of the
answers arrived to the questions, which system comprises

a communicator's (1) data processing system (2), comprising
means for selecting a target group, for transmitting a message (A) and for

receiving answers (A),

a service center (3) comprising means for transferring the

message (A) and the answer (A), and

a telecommunication device (7) for receiving messages (A).

characterized in that

the communicator's (1) data processing system (2), comprises
means for feeding the message (A) to the service center (3), and means
for receiving each answer (A') to the message (A) from the service center
(3) and means for analyzing the information contained in the answers (A)
in the communicator's (1) data processing system (2),

the service center (3) comprises means for receiving the
message (A) from the communicator's (1) data processing system (2) and
means for transferring the message (A) over a wireless
telecommunication system essentially simultaneously to the
telecommunication devices (7) of at least two recipients and means for
receiving the recipients' answers (A') and for transferring them further to
the communicator's (1) data processing system (2), and

the telecommunication device (7) comprises means for
receiving the message (A), a user interface for presenting the information
contained in the message (A) to the recipient, and means for transmitting
the answer (A") entered by the recipient using the user interface, utilizing
the service center (3). over the wireless data transmission connection to
the communicator's (1) data processing system (2).

wo 98/09451 PCT/FI97A)O490

12

7. A method according to claim 6, characterized in that the recipient's

telecommunication device (7) is a mobile telephone or a two-way pager,
and that the service center (3) is a part of a mobile communication
5 system.

8. A system according to claim 7, characterized in that said service center
(3) is the short message service center of a mobile communication
system.

10

9. A system according to claim 6. 7 or 8, characterized in that the service
center (3) and the telecommunication device (7) comprise means for
transferring the message (A) in a digital format between the
communicator's (1) data processing system (2) and the recipient's

15 telecommunication device (7) .

10. A system according to claim 6, 7, 8 or 9, characterized in that the service
center (3) comprises means for crediting an interviewee's account (12)
with a sum determined by the communicator as a response to receiving
20 the answer (A) or as a response to a message received from the data

processing system (2) of the communicator (1 ).

25

wo 98/09451

PCT/FI97/00490

MSG AND VLR L_

DURING TIMING |

4

3

SMSGWl ►

SMSC

1. ^

A

I - [SMSGWl

am

51

MSC DURING
RECEPTION

FIG. 1

1

FIG. 2

51'

J

MSG DURING
REPLY

SMSGW

i

SMSC

INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT

International application No,

PCT/FI 97/00490

A. CLASSIFICATION OF SUBJECT MATTER

IPC6* H040 7/22

According to International Patent Clasrificaiion (IPC) or to both naUonal classification and IPC

B. FIELDS SEARCHED

Minimum documenuUon searched (classification system followed by classificaUon symbols)

IPC6: H04Q

Documentation searched other than minimum documenution to the extent that such documenu are included in the fields searched

SE,DK,FI,NO classes as above

Electronic data base consulted during the international search (name of data base and, where pracUcable, search terms used)

C DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT

Category*

atation of documenu with indication, where appropriate, of the relevant passages

WO 8805239 Al (M.A. KEMPNER INC.). 14 July 1988

(14.07.88), page 12, line 4 - line 32; page 53,
line 24 - line 32

WO 8909530 Al (CREATIVE COMMUNICATIONS ASSOCIATES
INC.), 5 October 1989 (05.10.89), page 2,
line 1 - page 3, line 22; page 11,
line 5 - line 14; page 15, line 17 - line 27,
abstract

Relevant to daim No.

1,2,5-7,10

3,4,8,9

1,4,5,6,9

2,3,7,8,10

Further documents are listed in the continuation of Box C. Sec patent family annex.

* Specitl categories of cited documents:

"A' document defining the Kenersl state of the art which is not ooosidered

to be of particular rdevance
'B' erlicr document but putilisbed on or after die ioteruational flling dale

'\J document which may throw doubts on priority Claim(i) or which is
cited to establish the publicadoa date of another citatioa or otfaer
spedal reason (as specified)

"O* document referring to an oral disclosure, use, exhibition or other
means

'p« documeit publisbed prior to the international filing date but later than
the priority date claimed

Date of the actual completion of the international search

eoruarv 1998

Name and mailing address of the ISA/

Swedish Patent Office

Box 5055. S-102 42 STOCKHOLM

Facsimile No. + 46 8 666 02 86

later document published after the intematioiul filing date or priority
date and not in conflict with the application but cited to understand
the principle or theory underiying the inveotioo

'X' document of particular rdevance: the claimed iaventioo cannot tie
considered novel or cannot be considered to involve an inventive
step when the document is taken alone

''Y' document of particular rdevance: the claimed inveotioo cannot be
coosidered to involve an inventive step when the document is
comfaiiud with one or crwtc other such documents* such combtnatioa
being obvious to a person skilled in the art

'3f document member of the sante patent family
Date of mailing of the international search report

0 9 -02- 1998

Authorized officer

G5ran Peters son

Telephone No. + 46 8 782 2S 00

Form PCT/ISA/210 (second sheet) (July 1992)

INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT

Inlernaiional application No.

PCT/FI 97/00490

C (Continualion). DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT

Category*

Gtalion of document, with indication, where appropriate, of the relevant passages

Relevant to claim No.

X

US 5036389 A (FERMANIX) MORALES), 30 July 1991

(30.07.91), column 3, line 9 - line 28; column 4,
line 17 - line 37

1.4,5,6,9

Y

2,3,7,8,10

X

US 5311507 A (BEDROS A. BEDROSSIAN), 10 May 1994
(10.05.94), abstract

1-3,5-9

4,10

US 5226177 A (RAND B. NICKERSON), 6 July 1993

(06.07.93), column 2, line 55 - line 68; column 4,
line 25 - column 5, line 5

1.5,6.9

2-4,7.8.10

INTERNATIONAL SEARCH REPORT
Information on patent family members

07/01/98

International application No.

PCT/FI 97/00490

Patent document

Publication

Patent family

Publtcation

cited in search report

date

member(s)

dale

wo 8805239

Al

14/07/88

AU

1107588 A

27/07/88

lie

Ui/ U3/ Zl\J

ZA

8709731 A

24/06/88

WO 8909530

Al

05/10/89

CA

1336840 A

29/08/95

EP

0359757 A

28/03/90

US 5036389

A

30/07/91

US

5663757 A

02/09/97

US 5311507

A

10/05/94

NONE

US 5226177

A

06/07/93

CA

2033558 A.C

28/09/91

Form PCT/ISA/2tO (patent family annex) (July 1992)